As microprocessor technology continues to be applied to personal electronic products (e.g., two-way radios, pagers, pocket organizers, etc.), the trend in the field has been to provide a greater number of user selectable options. With the improvements in technology has also come a reduction in the size of many electronic devices. This reduction in size has lead to the decrease in the number and size of user controls (e.g., smaller display areas, etc.) found on electronic devices such as two-way radios, pagers, etc. The reduced number and size of controls now available to a user, coupled to the increase in user programmable features, has caused a reduction in user feedback when the user wants to reconfigure his device.
In the specific case of communication devices such as two-way radios, there may sometimes not even be a device display available to provide direct user feed-back. Historically, the way to solve this problem has been to connect the radio to a computer system having a special radio interface and then programming the radio using the computer system. However, this option is not always available to a radio user (e.g., the user does not have access to a computer, etc.).
A good example of the present art with regards to user programming of a two-way radio, is the field programmer used to program a Motorola, Inc. SABER.TM. radio. The SABER.TM. field programmer includes a personal computer which runs a special radio programming software package for programming user programmable features found in the radio. When programming the radio, the radio is first coupled to the computer via a set of special cables and a radio interface box (mostly used for voltage level shifting). When the programming software is executed on the computer, a set of menus appear for the radio user to select the desired options in order to customize his radio.
The video display in the computer system provides an effective way to interface with the user in order to provide a complete set of menus which inform the user of what user selectable options he can modify in his radio (e.g., frequencies, time-out-timer delays, power level, etc.). Once the user selects his options, the computer reprograms the radio by transmitting the selected information to the radio.
In another technology area, video cassette recorders (VCRs) that have on-screen (television screen) programming provide for a user to program the VCR using the television that is connected to the VCR. Most programmable VCR are however typically set-up were they are coupled via a cable and the user programs the unit using an infrared remote control device.
In the future, as radios and other portable devices become more and more capable of providing different features, it is reasonable to expect that a greater degree of user selectable options will be available for users to chose from in order to customize their electronic products.
A need thus exists for providing an electronic device having a built-in programming interface that will provide for a device user to customize his product. The programming interface allowing for the interaction with external video devices such as, television sets, video monitors, etc.